Creamy Chicken Pot Pie Orzo (Printable)
Tender chicken and veggies in creamy orzo—a comforting one-pot twist on classic pot pie.
# What You'll Need:
→ Meats
01 - 14 oz boneless, skinless chicken breast or thighs, diced
→ Vegetables
02 - 1 medium onion, diced
03 - 2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
04 - 2 celery stalks, diced
05 - 1 cup frozen peas
→ Grains & Pasta
06 - 1 1/4 cups orzo pasta
→ Dairy
07 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
08 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
09 - 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
→ Liquids
10 - 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
→ Pantry
11 - 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
12 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
13 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
14 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
15 - 1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
16 - Salt and pepper, to taste
# Steps:
01 - Heat olive oil in a large pot or deep skillet over medium-high heat. Season diced chicken with salt and pepper, then cook until golden and cooked through, approximately 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
02 - In the same pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the diced onion, carrots, and celery, sautéing until the vegetables are softened, about 5 minutes.
03 - Sprinkle the flour over the softened vegetables and stir continuously for 1 minute to form a light roux and cook out the raw flour taste.
04 - Gradually pour in the chicken broth while stirring constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.
05 - Stir in the orzo pasta, garlic powder, dried thyme, and dried parsley. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the orzo reaches al dente texture, approximately 10 minutes.
06 - Fold in the reserved cooked chicken and frozen peas. Continue simmering for 3 additional minutes until the peas are tender and the chicken is heated through.
07 - Pour in the heavy cream and add the grated Parmesan cheese. Stir until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper as needed.
08 - Ladle into bowls while hot. Garnish with extra chopped parsley or a sprinkle of Parmesan cheese if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It delivers every cozy comfort of pot pie without the stress of making pastry from scratch.
- Everything cooks in one pot, which means cleanup is almost nonexistent on a busy weeknight.
02 -
- Stir the orzo every couple of minutes because it loves to settle and stick to the bottom of the pot when you are not looking.
- Add the cream off the heat or at very low simmer if you want to avoid any risk of it separating.
03 -
- Using rotisserie chicken shaves off ten minutes and adds a deeper roasted flavor that tastes like you worked much harder than you did.
- Toasting the orzo in the butter for thirty seconds before adding broth adds a nutty dimension most people never expect.